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Binn Bhán means 'white peak' and is the highest mountain in Galway. You could say it is the Mont Blanc of Connemara. There is a lot of white rock here, mainly quartz, though this is more a feature of Benbrack. An odd thing about the Twelve Bens of Connemara is that nobody seems to know exactly which are the twelve peaks in question. There are at least 20 peaks with names in binn in this area. However, the notion of twelve peaks goes back at least to the time of Roderic O'Flaherty, who wrote in 1684 of the twelve high mountaines of Bennabeola, though he did not enumerate them (O'Flaherty, 106). In Irish the question doesn't even arise: there is no number, they are just na Beanna Beola, 'the peaks of Beola'. Beola was a giant and chieftain of the Fir Bolg, whose name also features in the village Tuaim Beola (Toombeola).
Binn Bhán is the highest mountain in the Twelve Bens area and the 90th highest in Ireland. Binn Bhán is the highest point in county Galway.Trackback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/89/?PHPSESSID=gfs1nqhhp4d8vgcdv8q3nimt25

Parking on road at L817566A, approx. 2km north of Lough Inagh. Proceed 1km SW directly up minor top called Knockpasheemore, steepish ascent mostly over short grass. From this top, continue SW for 3km first across grass, the terrain becoming increasingly rocky and steep as you ascend Benbaun, which has a well-defined summit marked by a cairn. 1.5 hours car to summit. Trackback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/89/comment/4849/

Climbed Ben Baun and Ben Free on June 15th 2011.
From Kylemore Lough take right on the R344 towards Lough Inagh. Right after the woods, take the first small road right to Glencorbet (not indicated, only 5 houses).
There's space for about 5 cars on your right hand side after the bridge and before the first stable.
Follow the asphalt road until a 90 degree right turn and take left into the direction of Glencorbet farm. The most difficult part of the journey is crossing the river. Cross the river as soon as you see the opportunity. Some say you can cross 200 m before the farm, but I couldn't - I had to go back. Take your plastic boots with you or some fresh socks - just in case ...
After crossing the river, you have to go straight up Knockpasheemore Ridge (the slope in front of you and the river at your back). There is no clear path. The slope and the ridge itself are one big spunge. Watch your step on this massive heap of peat. During our journey it was very wet everywhere and I had wet feet ...
Once you're up the ridge, turn right and find your way through the peaty labyrinth towards the white rock of Ben Baun. Then straight up the white rock without any danger towards the windy top.
When you have little time but enough to do a small extra, go down to the west into the saddle between Ben Baun and Ben Free and hop up Ben Free in 10 minutes.
Back down into the saddle and downhill to the river at Glencorbet Farm. Be careful when descending from the saddle : before traversing to the right be sure you are deep enough to pass below the vertical rocks at the West face of Ben Baun.
Crossing the river at the same place and back to the car. This walk takes you around 3 hours - stops not counted. Trackback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/89/comment/6462/

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Picture from simon3

simon3 on Binn Bhán, 2004

by simon3 5 Aug 2004

This visualisation shows the main twelve bens from the east. Trackback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/89/comment/1051/

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Picture from wicklore : Benbaun from Benfree, with hiker in the col

Picture: Benbaun from Benfree, with hiker in the col

Looking at the mountainviews with a fellow MountainViewer

by wicklore 8 Jun 2010

Arriving at Benbaun from Knockpasheemore ridge involves negotiating 270 metres ascent over varied rock, scree and intermittant grassy patches. Thin trails appear and disappear in the scree, helping at times to avoid that 'one step up, two steps back' feeling. I was glad to have my sunglasses in the bright sunlight as the glare off the white rock was dazzling!

Arriving at the curiously broken summit trig pillar, I was presented with the magnificant views south to the Bens of Glencoaghan, and west to Muckanaght & co. Perhaps what makes these mountains all the more startling and impressive is how they contrast with the deep valleys below. Both Bencollaghduff and Muckanaght for example have grey cliffs plunging several hundred metres to the green and verdant valleys at their bases.

I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting to a fellow MountainViews member, Dominic Divilly, at the summit. He was with a small group who expressed surprise at my intention to continue the traverse via Benfree, Muckanaght, Bencullagh, Maumonght and finishing at Maumonght SW Top. This route would leave me a long long way from my car back on the Lough Inagh road. They marvelled at my intention to hike out of the lonely valley at the end of the traverse and hitch the 25 or so kms back to my car. I appreciated receiving a MountainViews members message from Dominic the next day enquiring as to my health and whereabouts! (my plan to hitch worked out well as I got two lifts covering nearly the whole distance)Trackback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/89/comment/5862/

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Picture from murphysw : Looking into Glencorbet, with Mweelrea behind

Picture: Looking into Glencorbet, with Mweelrea behind

murphysw on Binn Bhán, 2008

by murphysw 11 May 2008

Driving along the R344 I noticed that there is new fencing all along the base of Knockpasheemore, as well as a lack of parking spaces. Glencorbet though, provides a good base for tackling the mountain. There is plenty of parking at L796574B. Follow the path towards the Glencorbet farmhouse, but about 200m before you reach this, cross the river at a bend where its easily crossed, then ascend the Knockpasheemore ridge. This ridge looks trickier to ascend the further you head into Glencorbet so best get it over with. The top of the ridge is undulating and covered in peat hags which luckily were dry. The great dome of Binn Bhan though is very stony. When I got to the summit the mist had momentarily moved in but I'd seen enough on the way up. The Bens are a most impressive range. A word of warning though, dont try and descend the ridge too early. I'd recommend going to about L796553C, or thereabouts, before heading down to the Kylemore river. I also noticed my compass stopped working on the way down the ridge. Despite looking across at Mweelrea and knowing that to be due north of me, the compass was showing that as east and Clifden as north. Strange, maybe time to invest in GPS! Trackback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/89/comment/3095/

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Picture from mcrtchly

Descent from Benbaun to Maumina col

by mcrtchly 28 May 2012

A possible safer descent route from Benbaun to Maumina col is to traverse down the steep grassy SW side of the mountain. This involves first walking on a bearing of 145 degrees from the summit of Benbaun down the SSE ridge for 220m to L78695 53714D. Then turn right on a bearing of about 210 degrees slowly descend the grassy hillside by zig-zagging downwards. At about the 550m contour level turn left (L78560 53589E) and contour around the hillside until a shallow grassy gully is encountered beneath the foot of scree slopes. Follow this gully down towards the Maumina col making a deviation to right at about L78820 53316F to avoid steep rocks. The route is probably not to be recommended in wet weather or snow due to the steep descent. Trackback: http://mountainviews.ie/summit/89/comment/6826/